No. 3 UConn women rout Providence 105-49

UConn's Morgan Tuck, right, is defended by Providence's Alexi Harris while driving to the basket during the first half Tuesday night in Providence. The No. 3 Huskies routed the Friars 105-49.

Published February 13. 2013 12:01AM

By PAT EATON-ROBB Associated Press

Providence - Connecticut's Kelly Faris started her 100th straight game and turned it into a microcosm of her career as a Husky.

The senior guard scored 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists as UConn (23-1, 10-1 Big East) cruised to a 105-49 win over Providence on Tuesday, the Huskies' fourth 100-point game this season.

"I think the 100 starts in a row is most indicative of how consistent and reliable and how fortunate she is to stay healthy, and just how committed she is to winning and doing whatever she has to do for the University of Connecticut," said UConn coach Geno Auriemma.

Every player scored for the Huskies, who shot 57 percent from the field, and every player had at least one assist.

UConn hit 24 of its 30 attempts from the foul line, while Providence attempted just four free throws, hitting two.

"We didn't get to the rim enough," said Providence coach Susan Robinson Fruchtl. "Any time in this league when you fade, you do not get calls. That's just the way that it is and that's the way it should be. They are going to reward you for going strong."

It was UConn's 28th straight win over Providence, which has not beaten the Huskies since the semifinals of the 1993 Big East tournament.

Connecticut, which leads the nation in scoring, opened with a 3-point barrage. Mosqueda-Lewis, Caroline Doty and Bria Hartley all hit 3s, along with a conventional 3-point play from Faris helped turn a 3-2 deficit into a 14-3 lead less than 3 minutes into the game.

The Huskies hit their first four from behind the arc and had a 20-point lead less than 7 minutes in.

UConn came into the game ranked fourth nationally in the number of 3-point field goals made per game, while Providence ranked 322nd in field goal defense. The Huskies were 7 of 18 from 3-point range. UConn also showed off its passing game with 22 assists on its 37 baskets.

"When we are making shots like we have been recently, it's hard to keep up with us," Auriemma said. "When we're moving and the ball is moving at the same time we are, we are a hard team to keep up with."

Doty had the 300th assist of her UConn career when she hit Stewart for a layup that gave UConn a 34-14 advantage. The Huskies led 56-29 at halftime, the eighth time they have scored more than 50 in a first half this season.

Mosqueda-Lewis now has 72 3-point baskets. She came into the game hitting 50 percent of her shots from behind the arc, but was just 3 of 8 against the Friars.

"It's good to know that coach trusts me, and he's willing to put that trust in me and put me on the court," she said. "It's also a reflection on him. When you have someone that is that trustworthy and respectable as a coach, you're going to want to not disappoint him."

Faris scored the Huskies first three baskets of the second half, including a fast-break reverse layup that gave UConn its first 30-point advantage at 61-31.

UConn cruised from there.

Providence, which won 16 of the first 17 meetings between the teams, but have lost the last 11 meetings between the two teams by an average of more than 39 points.

The Huskies came in leading the nation in scoring at almost 83 points per game, and It was the third straight game the Huskies had put up at least 90 points, the first time they have accomplished that feat this season.

Symone Roberts who is from New Britain, had nine points for the Friars, but hit just four of her 15 shots.

Roberts and Rule have been responsible for almost 49 percent of the team's offense in conference play, and Roberts had been averaging almost 15 points a game.

The Friars were coming off an 82-54 loss on Sunday to South Florida and have now dropped five of six.

The Huskies need just two more wins to post their 20th straight season with at least 25 win.

Providence College's Symone Roberts, left, is double-teamed by UConn's Caroline Doty (5) and Kelly Faris during the first half of Tuesday night's Big East Conference game at Alumni Hall in Providence. The No. 3 Huskies routed the Friars 105-49.

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